


When The Moon Rises Red

by SnowMoonyx



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-10-20 00:03:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20666018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowMoonyx/pseuds/SnowMoonyx
Summary: Wild's Hyrule brought on quite a few interesting things. From ninjas crazy for bananas to Sheikah technology beyond their wildest imagination it was really hard not to be impressed. The thing that stood out most to Four, however, was the blood moon.Because this time around it didn't only resurrect monsters.





	When The Moon Rises Red

**Author's Note:**

> This story is based on a headcannon from the lovely Fries on the Discord server :)

Wild's time was truly something else, Four mused. From the Yiga Clan to the multitudes of towers and shrines poking up from the ground everywhere they went, it was like a completely different world. So when he looked up at the sky in the night only to discover an interesting phenomenon he didn't quite know whether to be afraid or in awe.

"Guys? I don't know if you've noticed but the moon... It's red?"

Out of everyone Time reacted the most vividly, with his head jerking up and eyes widening. The rest looked up too, some exclaiming their surprise in different ways, Wild only glancing up, completely calm.

"Oh, that's right, I guess I forgot to tell you about that."

Time, having composed himself, looked over at the younger. "This is a regular occurrence?"

Wild shrugged, glancing at the castle that could be seen in the distance. "Kind of? Before I defeated Ganon the red moons showed up more often, but now they're more rare. At midnight it used to revive all the monsters I had killed for whatever reason. Now it only revives some, usually the Lynels and Hinoxes, sometimes lesser creatures too. It's troublesome, we can't rid the country of them, but other than that it doesn't really do much. There's no monsters close to here though, but do be prepared for a show at midnight."

With that they set to make camp. Something about the crimson moon was bothering Four, but he couldn't point his finger at it. It was gleaming at him, burning into his soul whenever he cast a glance at it.

The hours passed, edging closer and closer to midnight. After dinner they were all sat around the campfire, discussing their next move, sharing stories, laughing together at jokes. Even if they were sent on a mission by the goddess herself Four was thankful for these moments, when they allowed themselves to feel human. Their conversation eventually faded to a peaceful silence, and what looked like red and black ashes filled the air when the clock neared midnight.

Their gazes were drawn to the bleeding moon, where red clouds were gathering at an unlikely speed. Four stood up and walked a bit away from the campfire, trying to get a clearer view of the phenomenon.

A sudden chill spread through the night, a foreboding feeling of horrors yet to come, and Four felt himself grow cold as everything around them came to a standstill for a few seconds. A distant roar from a Lynel sounded, and then the moment had passed, clouds disappearing like they had evaporated, the moon fading back to white.

"That was really something," Legend said, yawning. "But I've seen wors-"

"Missed me?"

Four froze at the voice coming from somewhere behind him, cutting off Legend.

That couldn't be who he thought it was, that wasn't possible. He should know, he -or rather a specific part of him- had spent hours upon hours researching for a way, from the settling of twilight to the crack of dawn, day after day to no use. A cascade of memories flashed through his mind. Red's tears, Blue's anger, Green's regret and Vio's pain, he felt it all returning in tenfold.

"Watch out, it's a shadow!" Four saw how everyone jumped into a defensive pose, swords and bows pulled out and directed at whatever (whoever) was behind Four, but he found that he didn't care.

"Four, what are you doing!? You've gotta watch out, he's straight behind you!" Twilight yelled, eyes darting between him and- and-

Four suddenly spun around, his eyes searching for the impossible. And they found it. In the light of the now soft illumination of a gentle white moon, a fifth part -the last part- of himself stood, warily eyeing the weapons drawn at him.

His breath hitched, and with three small steps, each new faster than the last, he threw himself at Shadow, sending them both crashing to the ground, arms wrapped tightly around his counterpart. His friend.

His brother.

"FOUR!?"

Shadow laughed, voice hoarse after being trapped as a literal shadow for years, winding his own arms around the body that was so similar to his own. "Woah, hello to you too. Wait, are those tears? That's gross, you know I don't do that."

Four ignored him, only holding him tighter and pressing his face in the crook of Shadow's neck. "It's you, it really is you, you came back," he cried, voice catching in his throat. "How!? I tried so hard to get you back!"

"If you keep crying like that you're gonna catch me in my feelings. Calm down already, if not for me then at least for your companions. They look pretty freaked out. You know what, continue. This is quite the show."

Despite his joking Four could detect a slight waver in his voice, could hear the way he swallowed. Shadow had missed being alive, there were no doubts in his mind.

"Four, what the hell is going on!?"

Four didn't find his voice anymore. He couldn't, not with the sobs clogging his throat. So Shadow spoke up, a bit hesitant as he looked at the company he had been watching over while confined to Four's shadow, taking in their hostile stances.

"Uh, I don't know if you'll believe me but back when Link fought Vaati I kind of helped him? O-of course, before that I did bad things to him but Link and Zelda helped me see the light. So I helped out by crushing the Dark Mirror that gave power to Vaati, and to me. Since then I've been trapped in Link's shadow. Vi- _Link_ used to research for hours at a time to find a way to bring me back. Then you guys happened, somehow the blood moon brought me to the Light World, and now I'm here."

Some of them eased up, relaxing their stances, but others of them didn't move one bit, such as Warriors who knew too well of betrayals. "That's... Quite the story, especially coming from a shadow. Four, is any of this true?"

Said hero had finally managed to run out of tears, slowly composing himself and leaning back, taking a proper look at Shadow. He was wearing an uncertain smile, and despite his words Four saw the way his eyes glistened. So he smiled softly back at him, dried off his cheeks with his sleeve, and turned around to the others who looked like they didn't quite believe what they were seeing. He took a hold of Shadow's hand, giving it a light squeeze, and beamed at the group.

"It is true. Every last bit of it."

Shadow squeezed back, and in the light of the pristine moon, everything was well.

**Author's Note:**

> Ended up drawing a lil' comic about this too, you can find it here: https://snowmoonyx.tumblr.com/post/187998759310/based-on-a-hc-from-someone-on-the-discord-where


End file.
